In Search of the Canon: Poets and Artists Confronting with their Models (c. 1500-1700)

The theory of Imitation was a central topic of discussion in the ‘Republic of Letters’. The European community of humanists, philosophers, poets and artists was engaged in the dispute over the models to refer to during the creative process. How to develop a normative canon as a reference point for artists and writers in the practice of Imitation? Which poets and artists to select as the examples of ‘bello stile’?

While the authority of ancient models was universally acknowledged, the building of a canon of modern masters was under discussion. One of the typical environments of this discussion were the Academies, where writers, artists, philosophers, antiquarians gathered around learned patrons.

Considering the interdisciplinary nature of this debate, this panel aims to explore the construction of a canon through a comparative and interdisciplinary perspective. The main purpose is not only to study the mechanisms implied in the building of the canon but also to bring out the intersections between Art and Literature concerning this topic.

Questions to be considered include but are not limited to: the institutions where the debate took place, with a particular focus on the Academies; rhetorical devices for debating the canon and the metaphors of Imitation; the circulation of the canon through publishing, printings, new editions and reproductive printmaking; the impact of the canon on the teaching practices.